Serving-bar.



J. D. ECONOMY.

SERVING BAR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1913.

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Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

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J. D. ECUNOMY.

SERVING BAR,

APPLICAHQN FILED MAY 25. 191B.

Patented Jan. 7, 191%.

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JOHN D. ECONOMY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SERVING-BAR.

nseam.

To all whom it may concern:

fBe it known that I, JOHN D. ECONOMY, a subject of the King of Greece,residing at Philadelphiafln the county of Philadelphia and State ,ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inServing-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to serving bars for use inrestaurants, ice creamand soda water saloons, or other places where foods and beverages aresold and dispensed. Serving bars of the above mentioned type are usuallymade of a continuous length to accommodate a number of persons instanding or sitting positions. In view of the fact that these servingbars are made with a continuous front section of panel which extendsfrom the top to the bottom, it is particularly inconvenientanduncomfortable to sit sufiicientlyclose tothe top of the bar to eat ordrink with propriety. Further than this,

. it is practically impossible to keep the floor and parts surroundingthe rear of these bars clean and dry in view ofthe unavoidable spillingand dropping of the beverages by the waiter.

One object of my invention is to provide a serving bar of such characteras to permit a number of persons, to comfortably and conveniently eatand drink therefrom and at the same timee'ach person can beproperlyfseated so as not to encroach upon the eagle space of otherpersons sitting at either S1 9. Another objectis to so construct myinvention that the floor and the surrounding parts can be easily keptclean and dry.

A further object is to so construct my invention that it will be durableand will present, a pleasing andornamental appearance.

A still further object is to provide my invention with means whereby the.clerk or waiter can readily determine when a person has moved away fromthe bar so that the individual space previously occupied by that personcan be cleaned and any empty dishes can be removed.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be describedhereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention,

Specification of Letters Patent.

connected to the switch arm 17 and Patented J an. '2, 1919.

Application filed May 25, 1918. Serial No. 236,451.

' Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of my invention,

F 3 is a sectional elevation of an inclicator forming a part of myinvention, and

' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an electric switch whichis operatively connected upon each of the chairs forming a part of myinvention,

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a serving table illustratedinthe form of a cabinet upon and in which the material to be dispensedand also the dispensing apparatus can be placed. A serving bar 6comprises a row of hollow'posts 7 which are spaced apart and also spaceda sufiicient distance in front of the serving cabinet 5 to permitworking room for a clerk or waiter, said space being indicated at 8 onthe drawings.

Each of the hollow posts 7 is secured to the floor 9 and a chair 10 issecured to the floor and mounted in front of each of the posts. Eachpost forms a support for a rotatable circular table 11 and the posts arespaced apart sufiiciently to permit these tables 11 to be rotatedindependently of each other and so that they "do not touch. r

Small circular shelves 12 are rotatably supported by the posts 7 atpositions above the tablesll and these shelves can-be used to supportany articles desired, suchfor example as soda water suction straws,spoons, or the'like.

7 Each chair 10 has a rotatable seat 13 and in the present instance aback 14 is secured to the seat. Also, each of the chairs has a rod 15secured thereto which depends through the chair standard 16 and: at itsbottom has a switch arm 17 connected thereto. These arms, whenthe chairseats 13 are rotated, are adapted to engage and disengage forks 18.

Electric wires 19 and 20 are IGSPECfifVBlIS;

18 of each chair and'pa'ss'through and form a part of a'cable 21 whichis"conveniently positioned below the floor 9. This cable forms the mainconductor of electricity and can be supplied with current from agenerator or other source not illustrated. The wires 19 and 20 areconnected in series with other wires 22 which extend upwardly throughthe respective posts 7 and at their top are connected with electric lampbulbs 23. The wires 19, 20, and 22 are also in series with other wirescontained in a cable 24 which is connected respectively of the casing 26is divided into a number of partitions 26 so that one of the bulbs 25 isdirectly back of each of the numerals on the casing front.

W hen the chairs 10 are in position with I the backs in direct alinementwith their respective posts, such for example as in the position shownin Fig. 2, the switch arms 17 will be in engagement with the forks 18and an electric circuit will be completed through the lamps 23 of theposts and these lamps together with the lamps 25 will be illuminated sothat when a person is sitting upon the chairs While in said position,the lamp at the top of the post will be lighted andthe lampcorresponding with that particular lamp and seat will be lighted toilluminatethe corresponding; numeral of the indicator. However, when aperson vacates the seat 13 it is necessary to turn the seat in order forthe person to leave the bar and in so doing the switch army 17 will bedisengaged from the respective vfork 18 and the electric circuit will bebroken and the lamp (in the post and the corresponding lamp intheindicator will be extinguished thereby notifying the waiter that a.table has beenv vacated and he can immediately remeve the dishestherefrom.

On the other hand, when a person o'cc-lr' pies one of the chairs andmoves it into the proper position,- the corresponding lamps on the postand indicator will be illuminated and the clerk can readily determinethat a person is waiting and ready to be served.

By the illitminating arrangement above described, the clerk even thoughhe has hisback to the serving bar is able to determine when one of thetables of the serving bar has been vacated or reoccupied,

As illustrated in Fig. 1, hollow columns 27 are located at either end ofthe serving bar and can be usedfor holding and dispensing paper drinkingcups 28, or the like.

The several postsand columns, by being arrangedin a row and illuminated,present a Copies of this patent may be obtained for pleasing effect tothe eye and an ornamental screen for the serving table or cabinet 5 whenviewed from the front. These columns can be made of various materials,such as ornamented brass, onyx, or marble of various descriptions.

Plenty of knee room is {provided for persons sitting in front of thetables 11 and there is also suflicient distance between each of thechairs and tables 11 to permit a number of persons to eat or drinkwithout being rendered uncomfortable.

a The front of the indicator casing can be made of glass in which all ofthe exposed portions, with the exception of the nu merals, can be madeopaque and so that the numerals will be transparent 'or translucent.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it willbe understood that the various parts of my invention may be changedwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limitmyself to 'the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within thes'copeof the appended claim. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letter Patent is:

The combination of a serving table; a floor; and a serving bar spaced'in front of the serving table and consisting of a row of posts spacedapart andmoun-ted on the floor whereby a floor space is provided betweeneach of the posts and'a passageway is provided between'the' row of postsand theserving table of sufiicien't width to permit anafttenda'nt towalk therethrough and to readily reach from the serving table to thebar, said serving bar including indi: vidual tables onemounted on eachof said posts, said tables being positioned close together so that saidbar willbe practically continuous, substantially asfdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. ,k I,

JOHN D. ECONOMY.

Witnesses: p p

EDNA E. Bni'c'ia'Aii'i, CHAS. E. Pom.

five cents each, by addressing me (ionimisioiie'i of rattan,

Washington, D. 0."

